This invention is concerned with improvements relating to shelving, particularly of the type utilised in shelving structures of the kind (hereinafter referred to as of the kind specified), assembled from preformed components.
A typical shelving structure of the kind specified is assembled from a number of vertical elements (struts) and interconnected horizontal elements (beams) on which shelves are mounted. A shelf for such a shelving structure conventionally comprises a flat, generally rectangular shelf panel and flanges extending downwardly from the shelf panel around the four sides thereof, the flanges resting on horizontal components of the structure to provide support for the shelf.
Difficulty has been encountered in shelving structures of the kind specified in attempting to increase the strength of the shelves to enable them to be capable of supporting greater loading. For example, it has been suggested to fold an end portion of each of the flanges inwardly to lie closely against the inside face of the flange. In this manner, the tendency of the end of the flange to buckle is reduced.
Additionally, it is possible to form the shelf from metal sheet of thicker cross-section; however this adds greatly to the cost of the shelf, and it is uneconomic in that it is wasteful of metal.
A suggestion has been made, in U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,512,268 to increase the strength of the shelf by folding a portion of the flange inwardly against the inside of the downwardly extending portion, and bending the flange over so that an edge portion bears closely against a marginal portion of the underside of the shelf panel.
This suggestion, whilst providing some increase to the strength of the shelf in a manner which is more economical than simply increasing the thickness of the metal sheet, suffers from the following disadvantages:
(a) the degree of increase in strength is limited by the tendency of the folded flange to unroll; PA1 (b) to increase the strength of the shelf further it is necessary to resort to increasing the thickness of the metal sheet from which the shelf is fabricated; PA1 (c) the system lacks versatility.